A Curse of Fate

Chapter 6

The Temps live by a specific set of rules, the most important I learned, was never buy something you haven’t tested first. With horses, it was a law for the family that you must “Ride before you buy” as I was told moments before being engulfed into riding gear, including a vest, helmet, and chaps. Gunther was being saddled next to me by the local tack shop owner, Emily, who was a tall athletically built woman with long blonde hair, and the ability to bully Dracula into submission. “I told you that your help was not needed!” First warning, coming from the tack shops stall, “I am perfectly capable of saddling a draft mix on my own!” Second warning, this one was accompanied by what I assumed to be accidental dropping of the saddle onto the count’s foot. But when my rather overprotective father in law didn’t back off, Emily used a more direct approach, “Temps I swear I will call my mother over here and say you’ll finally take her up on that offer of hers.” Dracula backed off hands in the air, “No I’ll be good. No need to call Elizabeth over.” Lila snickered at her father, she had come over what her newest horse who was an Arabian called Agrippina. A lovely golden mare with a long white mane and tail, delicately built and full of energy, already tacked up to have a test ride of her own. I was now curious about two things: “Why am I the only one with all this padding?” gesturing to my current state, “ And why is your father running away at the idea of a date?” Lila and Emily were laughing too hard to actually answer me, Emily actually stopped tacking up Gunther to go pee, she had laughed so hard. Lila wiped tears out of her eyes as she finally stopped laughing “ Well first, dad has a policy that all precautions are to be taken when a new rider joins the family. You'll be like this for your first few rides, then he’ll let you off with just the helmet.” Nodding in agreement, she continued on when she was sure that we were on the same page “Second dad is the local bachelor legend and many of the older ladies who moved here later in life tend to get handsy quickly with him.” Stunned and smiling, I couldn’t wait for more “Well Emily’s mom is one of the worst. She will stalk him through the market constantly if he goes along.” My smile just grew “ Wow how does your dad handle all of this female attention?” Lila looked around for her dad “He makes one of us go with him at all times. Or when he does venture out alone he uses the runaway method”. Picturing the count running away from middle-aged women with grabby hands, had to be one of the funniest things ever. 

We were still laughing by the time he came back, he was rather upset at our topic of conversation. “You have no idea how violating it feels,” he said puffing up with indignity, “ And they are all skinny boney things. Not at all my type, thank you.” Lila and I locked eyes with each other and proceeded to fall on the floor laughing. Emily came back and stared at our display, asked the count why we were laughing, and then joined us upon hearing the response. After five minutes the count was fed up “Alright that's enough let's go to the ring and see how the horses handle.” He ordered us hands on his hips, glaring at the three of us. 

Slowly marching over to the riding ring, I began to notice the audience that gathered to watch the test riding of the horses. Gulping I went up to the riding box to get onto Gunther, Lila was already in the ring mounting her new Arabian. She simply vaulted up onto the mare's back and turned her to go to the far end of the ring, once there she put the mare to a full canter. Both woman and horse had hair billowing out behind them like flags, racing around the ring three times, then neatly stopping on a dime in front of her father. Smiling down at him she waited for his judgment, “Yes yes she is a lovely horse, and yes you may have her.” He stated with a stern face, “But you are solely in charge of her upkeep. You know she will need expensive riding to keep her healthy.” She nodded vigorously as she dismounted from her new steed, and led her from the ring to a young man who we had passed in the stables previously.  

The count turned to me expectantly, My turn I thought with nerves growing, riding at the council had been extensive, but I had a feeling that my skills may still not live up to the count's standards. I directed Gunther to the ring’s entrance, he maneuvered through the gate easily, with no trouble taking my commands. Once I received the nod to commence from my future father in law I steeled myself for the test to begin. Gunther was a large horse so I started him at a walk, his gate was perfect and he would do all that I asked of him. After going around the ring twice I leaned into his massive neck and clicked at him with my tongue, squeezing his sides with my heels. He took off like a cannonball, galloping around the ring, his hooves thundering through the whole arena. It's like riding a mountain I thought as he shot past a surprised Dracula, and continued around the ring. Rising in my saddle I spread my arms wide, it felt like I was flying my hair trailing behind in its long braid. Soon I heard the gasps of those around me, and a surprised shout from both Lila and her father “Elaina stop!!” “Look behind you”. Opening my eyes I saw what caused the commotion, a white mist was trailing us, it glittered and shined, Mountain mist and starlight, I thought calmly. But panic set in when I realized it was coming from my outstretched arms. Gunther was unfazed by it, and as I slowed him down to a walk, I noticed the strange mark on his rear end. The flower the resed on my chest, I had claimed him, with magick.